Bringing theatre to the township…
An old abandoned building in Hammanskraal has been turned into a theatre.
David Matsena
An old abandoned building in Hammanskraal has been turned into a theatre.
The development was the dream of veteran actor and director Buti Morake.
On September 14, the dream became reality when the old Freedom Hall in Kanana Gardens was converted into the Buti Morake Theatre to bring theatre to the township.
For the project, Morake partnered with businessman Carl Pretorius.
Morake started acting back in the 1970s when drama was in protest against apartheid brutality.
Morake is from Ramotse in Hammanskraal and affectionately known as Mr Dustbin or Rarantsa, a sign that people from his kasi followed his work.
Morake portrayed Rarantsa in the SABC2 drama Death of a Queen and performed in more than 50 plays, including Mr Dustbin, Ngobi Ngobeza and Zabalaza.
“I have been in theatre for a long time. That is why I opened the Otampho School of Art and Drama in 2006 – because theatre can help to build a united, crime-free community.
“Township theatre used to be big back in the 1970s and it needs to be revived.
“Great actors like Gibson Kente, Ndaba Mhlongo, Mary Twala, Maishe Maponya and Sello Maake Ka Mcube are products of kasi theatre,” Morake said in an interview with Rekord.
Morake said a lot of plays would be staged in the theatre.
At the moment, Morake is busy with Ngobi Ngobeza, which he wrote about the daily life in rural Hammanskraal.
It premiered on 9 February at Kudube High School and was produced by art school with actors sourced from Hammanskraal Secondary School.
“This drama is performed at schools around Hammanskraal and it shows the Otampho School of Art and Drama has lots of talent. These actors can help put Pretoria on top in the world of live theatre.
“I have appeared in many productions. My life was on the stage before I made it big on television as Rarantsa in the drama Death of a Queen,” Morake added.
The themes of his plays are HIV/Aids, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse.
“I am just a simple storyteller who likes to express my stories dramatically,” he said, adding people in his township loved theatre.
“I have performed in churches and school halls and sometimes had up to 500 people [in the audience].”
“There was no air-conditioning in these unhealthy places. Often people sat on the floor. People were crying for cinemas,” he said.
The theatre has a capacity for 200 people.
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